Similar Cases
SIMILAR CASES by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A woman, isolated and confined to a room, is treated with various remedies and experiments in an effort to cure her of what is believed to be a nervous disorder. However, the treatments only serve to further degrade and dehumanize the woman, ultimately leading to her descent into madness. What are some themes present in this story?
By Charlotte Perkins Gilman · First published 1899 · Genre: Feminist Literature, Short Stories, Science Fiction · 1,139 words
First lines
There was once a little animal, No bigger than a fox, And on five toes he scampered Over Tertiary rocks. They called him Eohippus, And they called him very small, And they thought him of no value- When they thought of him at all; For the lumpish old Dinoceras And Coryphodon so slow Were the heavy aristocracy In days of long ago.
Said the little Eohippus, "I am going to be a horse! And on my middle finger-nails To run my earthly course! I'm going to have a flowing tail! I'm going to have a mane! I'm going to stand fourteen hands high On the psychozoic plain!"
What this Textopian page supports
Similar Cases is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Feminist Literature, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Social Commentary, Dystopian
- Length: 1,139 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Similar Cases by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Similar Cases?
- How does this short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Feminist Literature first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Waste by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Reinforcements by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Too Much by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Females by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Limits by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Hardly A Pleasure by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Genres
- Feminist Literature — Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a famous feminist writer and her works often explore themes of women's rights and gender roles, including this collection of short stories.
- Short Stories — 'Similar Cases' is a collection of short stories, thus falling into this genre.
- Science Fiction — Some of the stories in this collection explore themes involving technology and futuristic societies, making it partially fall under the genre of science fiction.
- Social Commentary — Through these stories, Gilman questions and critiques societal norms and issues, making it a work of social commentary.
Tags
feminism · mental health · gender roles · society · isolation · identity · psychological drama · women's rights · social critique · narrative style · symbolism · historical context